Envelope



(No Model.) Y

H. W. DRYDBN.

l BNVBLOPB. l No. 355,305. Patented Jan. 4,'1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE W. DRYDEN, OF MANSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

ENVELOPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,305, dated January 4, 1887.

Application filed Api-i127, 1385. ASerial No. 163,681. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE W. DEYDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Manseld, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Letter-Envelope, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a letter-envelope;

and it consists in an envelope folded longitudinally and provided with flaps at the side and ends of such length and form that there will be one or more openings at the edge or edges of the sealed envelope, so that the envelope may be readily opened by means of a knife blade or like instrument, and also with a sufficient number of iiaps, so that the envelope may be used more than once, as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure l shows the sheet of an envelope embodying my invention, and Figs. 2, 8, and 4 illustrate how the envelope may be treated to be sealed and used more than once. Fig. 5 shows the envelope after all the flaps have been used.

The envelope may be made of such material ythat it will be adapted to receive simply the form to give a neat appearance, and to provide sufcient sinface for gumming.

The envelope may have four aps b at the side and three flaps b at each end, as shown. The number, form, and relative size of the flaps 4o may, however, differ from those illustrated in the drawings, being such as may be deemed most desirable.

When the envelope is used for the first time,

two of the iaps at the side and two at each end may be folded over the back and sealed thereon, while the other flaps may be folded so as to lie between the front and back, as illustrated in Fig. ,2. There will then be openings c at the sides and ends, at either of which a knife-blade may be readily inserted for opening the sealed envelope, so that when opened the envelope-sheet will be of the form shown in Fig. 3.

Then the envelope is used the second time, the ilaps not previously sealed will be folded over the back and sealed thereon, as illustrated in Fig. 4. After having been opened the second time the envelope will have all of the flaps cut, as shown in Fig. 5.

An envelope thus adapted to be used more than once will be found very convenient, especially when it embodies or has combined with it a letter-sheet. A letter of inquiry may be most readily answered, the material for the answer being at hand and supplied by the querist or sender of the first letter, who, of

course,will leave space for the return message and address.

I claim as my invention- An envelope formed of a single sheet folded as specified, and providing two'or more flaps at the side of the envelope and two or more at each end, whereby the envelope is adapted to be sealed more than once, substantially as set forth.

. HORACE XV. DRYDEN.

Witnesses:

EDW. DUMMER, WILLIAM A. SHELDON. 

